The Grace of the Potter

"We are all infected and impure with sin.

When we display our righteous deeds,

they are nothing but filthy rags.

Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,

and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

Yet no on calls on your name

or pleads with you for mercy.

Therefore, you have turned away from us

and turned us over to our sins.

And yet, O LORD, you are our Father.

We are the clay, and you are the potter.

We are formed by your hand."

Isaiah 64:6-8 NLT

I don't deserve it, none of us do (Romans 3:23).  Even my best attempts to do good are seen by God as soiled tatters, not a gleaming robe of righteousness as I might see it.  If I truly got what was coming to me, I'd be horrified (Psalm 103:10).  Still, God offers grace.  How extraordinary!

Father.  I should be banished to the outer reaches of the universe, exiled so as to avoid soiling God with my unworthiness, my sinful flesh, my body of death.  It makes sense that such a holy God wouldn't want to touch me with a ten-foot pole, that He would keep His distance and dictate His mandates from on high, turning a blind eye to much of my self-inflicted suffering.  It seems right that His higher ways and superior thoughts would keep Him far away from lowly mankind, that He would make me lie in the bed I have made in my selfish wickedness.

Instead, the true nature of God is of a compassionate Father who passionately desires to be intimately involved in my life.  This love for me is so powerful that it drove Him to offer His own Son as a sacrifice to atone for my sins, cleansing me from all unrighteousness so I can appear before the God of the Universe as holy and pure, not in my true state as immoral and corrupted by sin (Romans 5:8, 1 John 2:2, Colossians 1:22).  Therefore, through repentance and faith in Jesus, I can approach my Father as one who belongs in His presence, as one who is welcomed as a cherished child, as one who is wholly and perfectly loved (1 John 3:1, Hebrews 4:16).

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, God can extend His saving grace to me, the sinner, so that I can interact with Him as my loving Father.

Potter.  The lump of clay sits there completely powerless to form itself into anything suitable or beautiful.  It is destined to remain shapeless and pathetically unusable, that is until the hands of the potter close over its mass of mud.  He then expertly works to transform its shape from an ugly blob to something altogether different.  In His hands, there is much potential in each lump of clay.

He has compared me as His image-bearer to a lump of clay on His potter's wheel (Isaiah 64:8).  He could have left me as is, not caring enough to change me from my present state.  Instead, He loves me enough to take me through the painful and difficult process of sanctification, where He scrapes away that which doesn't belong and changes the way I think, speak, react, even exchanging my worldly values for heavenly ones (2 Corinthians 4:11, Colossians 3:10).  As I become who He intends me to be, I see things differently, my motivations and passions are converted to heavenly ones and my perspective lines up more closely with His (Ephesians 4:23-24).  He uses every situation I face to transform me into the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29).  In His hands, I am becoming something altogether different yet uniquely me.

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, God can extend His saving grace to me, the sinner, so that the Potter can transform me into something beautiful through the work of His hands.

Artist.  I'm not a mistake, a complex being with feelings, dreams and hopes that emerged from the muck by chance.  I didn't evolve from apes through a long line of aberrations that resulted in increasingly higher intelligence and the accidental formation of a conscience.  Instead, I am here on purpose, made for a purpose.  I was knit "together in my mother's womb" and "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13-14).

When I see my Creator as a gifted Artist who is unable to make junk but only creates good, I suddenly understand my inherent worth as the work of His hands (Genesis 1:31).  It is not in myself, per se, that I find my value, but in my Maker whose astounding work makes me valuable.  Just as a piece of artwork by van Gogh or da Vinci are infinitely more valuable simply because they came from such a talented hand, so I am essentially precious because I came from the hand of the greatest Artist of all times.  I was made by the same One who placed the stars in the heavens and brought forth breathtaking wonders.  Not only was I made for good not for the trash heap, but in Christ I have a wonderful mission that was prepared long ago for me to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10).  In Christ I am beautiful and functional!

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, God can extend His saving grace to me, the sinner, so that I can realize the beauty that is found within me as the work of the Artist's talented hands and the function for which I was made.

When I see my sin for what it is, an affront to God, I realize I don't deserve anything good.  Yet by the grace of God that comes through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, I can interact with Him differently than as one who is condemned.  Instead, God becomes this loving Father who cares deeply for what hurts me, a master Potter who transforms me into the image of His Son, and a talented Artist whose very hand is what makes me valuable and useful.  In these ways, I get to experience the grace of God!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to believe I am made valuable by His mark on my life.

When do I tear myself down, forgetting my inherent value?

How do I treat myself as trash instead of as a treasure?       

The Blessing of Waiting

"So the LORD must wait for you to come to him

so he can show you his love and compassion.

For the LORD is a faithful God.

Blessed are those who wait for his help."
Isaiah 30:18 NLT

It's hard to wait.  I want to get on with my life, leave this time of suffering and hardship.  I want to see my loved one come to faith in Christ and taste the abundance of life He offers.  I want to be free from this wretched body of death.  I'm tempted to turn to other sources to find relief, to try different tactics to persuade, to up my effort in order to do better.  But there is a blessing for those who wait for His help.

Gracious.  One man should not have so much power, but he did.  And it corrupted him.  He sadistically presented the woman with two choices upon entrance into the Auschwitz concentration camp in Nazi Germany.  She was forced to decide which of her two children would survive and live within the camp, and which would immediately be killed in the gas chambers.  Sophie's choice was a decision no mother should ever have to make, but one the god of Auschwitz presented to her.  

Such manipulation by one in a position of power turns the stomach.  While God, the maker of heaven and earth could be such a god, He is not.  He does not play games nor is He is a bully God.  He does not manipulate or bribe His image bearers to come to Him.  He does not put mankind in impossible situations just to watch them squirm.  Instead, He offers life through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross in dying as a sin offering.  Either I take it, or I leave it.

When I take Him up on His offer of life, I discover how rich in character He is.  He shows love and compassion to those who come to Him for help, willingly choosing Him over a myriad of options for finding fulfillment and contentment, peace and love, freedom from guilt and shame.  Within this sacred relationship, I am still given the choice of how I operate.  I can walk with my natural flesh and thus produce spoiled fruit, or I can keep in step with God's indwelling Spirit as the evidence of this cooperation makes itself known in ways I don't always notice (Galatians 5:13-23). 

When I long for intimate companionship with my Father through faith in Jesus Christ, I receive the blessing of His abundant grace made manifest in my life.

Faithful.  This ability to choose extends to all areas of my walk with Christ.  No matter how hard it is for me to trust another, I soon learn that God is faithful and can be trusted.  He gives me ample opportunity to see His faithfulness at work as He fulfills promise after promise, never letting me down and always doing as He said He would.  He never leaves me nor does He turn His back on me out of disgust are impatience with my hardheadedness.  

When I take His faithfulness to heart, I can take the chance to rest fully in Him, which is really no risk at all (Psalm 86:15).  There is no possibility that He might change His mind, or forget what He said He'd do, or lose track of time and leave me hanging (Numbers 23:19).  Instead, He is a God who can always be counted on to love me consistently, to keep His Word, to protect me from evil (Deuteronomy 7:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:3).   My part is to place my faith in Him who is faithful.

When I wait on Him as my sole source of all I need, I receive the blessing of His faithfulness made manifest in my life.

Sovereign.  If I had my way, everything would come about immediately, exactly when I want it. There would be no need to wait because anytime would be the right time.  Why wait until tomorrow when today is the perfect time?  But today is not always the perfect time.  I only see my part, while God sees the big picture.  He takes all the pieces of the puzzle into account, knowing which must come forth at which time.  He understands how long it may take for one heart to change, why others are reluctant to submit, what kind of crisis will bring some to their knees (2 Peter 3:9,15).  He knows.

When I trust in His sovereign power, in His knowledge of how all the pieces fit together, of His control of the timing, I have the privilege of seeing His best come to fruition.  Instead of settling for what I want now, whether it be relief from suffering or seeing my loved one come to faith in Christ, I am desiring His best over my inferior, His perfect over my deficient, His cream of the crop over my leftovers.

When I wait on His perfect timing, I receive the blessing of His sovereign power made manifest in my life.

I admit that I don't like to wait and often am guilty of taking matters into my own hands.  When I do wait on God, however, longing for His help and intimacy, I receive something I could never otherwise taste.  I discover the gracious grace upon which I count, His faithfulness that holds me up, and His sovereign power that brings it all together in just the right time.  These are some of the blessings I discover when I wait on Him.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to wait on His timing.

When do I try to force things to happen?

How am I failing to trust God fully?      

   

The Choice

"'Come now, let us settle the matter,'

says the LORD.

'Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

you will eat the good things of the land;

but if you resist and rebel,

you will be devoured by the sword.'

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Isaiah 1:18-20 

I look at the decisions being made by the powers that be in this country and I come to the conclusion that discipline is coming.  As a nation, we have sunk so low, offended God in so many ways, turned from Him and toward iniquity so severely that I know He cannot keep His hand of protection upon us.  But is it the choices being made by the lost that offends Him most, or is the Body of Christ itself an affront to God?

Jesus begs a decision.  I can't sit on the fence when it comes to Him; I'm either for Him or against Him, in His corner or fighting against Him, living by the Spirit under grace or operating according to the flesh under law (Matthew 12:30, Galatians 5:16, Romans 7:5-6).  I must not do as the people of Judah did, going through the motions of religion and worship, identifying myself as a Christian yet living like I'm still a slave to sin, as if Jesus didn't die to free me from the very thing that sent Him to the cross (Romans 6:18, Hebrews 10:29) .

While salvation is mine through faith in Christ, there is still an issue of the heart I must face within that relationship.  Otherwise, I'm rebelling against God and can expect discipline as my Shepherd guides me back to His fold.  This kind of rebellion within the church may be the greater problem Americans face this day.

Willing.  His greed and carnal desires had him trapped.  He wanted the luscious fruit, yet he wanted freedom, too.  Little did he know, he couldn't have both.  The monkey picked up the scent of the bait and eagerly reached into the box in order to grab the treat, but soon he found himself stuck.  The little guy wasn't able to free his hand no matter how hard he tried.  He had a sense that letting go of the tempting food would free his hand from the trap, but he couldn't bring himself to do without such sensual pleasures.  His life just wouldn't be the same without it, or so he thought.  His stubbornness led to his demise.

Oh how tempting is the flesh!  As a human presented with the Gospel of Christ, I eagerly desire to have the assurance of eternal life, the peace of mind that comes from knowing my sins are covered and my fate is sure.  Yet the sensual desires of my natural self rules me.  I am as unwilling as that doomed monkey to let go of that which brings fleshly satisfaction and pleasure, stubbornly holding on to the very thing that condemns me.  I can't live for Christ and for self; I must choose one or the other.

To live in Christ is to be willing to die to self (Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 4:22-24, Luke 9:23).

Obedient.  The Bible is often seen as an instruction manual of sorts, a guide on how to live a righteous life.  Instead of treating God's Word as a textbook for me to follow by the letter, it is vital that I understand it's transformational power, realizing that God has a mission and the holy Scriptures will accomplish all He sets out for them to achieve; supernaturally and powerfully (Isaiah 55:10-11, Hebrews 4:12).

Once I comprehend my role as a disciple of Christ, it is my passion for Him that will lead me to do as He commands, to submit to His wishes (John 14:15-16).  Instead of simply taking in His words as good advice, I will have a hunger to see them be fulfilled in my life.  As I surrender to God's renovation process, I will find a desire welling up within me to put the things I learn into practice (Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:13, Colossians 3:10).  And I will also discover the grace necessary to empower me to do as He says as I rest in the work He has already accomplished on the cross on my behalf.

True transformation takes place when my heart is devoted to Jesus, as evidenced by my desire to obey His commands.

High Cost.  They didn't think it through.  Instead, the went with their gut, blindly and foolishly hoping that their meager paychecks would be enough to cover the cost of living in the house of their dreams.  Unfortunately, they discovered they were often short and had to dip into their retirement account in order to make up the difference.  If only this unfortunate couple had considered the high cost of living outside their means, then they wouldn't be in such a difficult situation.

In the same way that there is a cost of living that must be taken into account before buying a house, there is also a high price to pay in terms of what I will surrender when giving my life to Jesus (Luke 14:25-33).  Instead of going into the relationship without full knowledge of what I will give up, only focusing on what I will receive, I may soon find myself disillusioned.  Where's this abundant life I was promised?  How come troubles keep coming my way?  I thought life would be easier once I gave myself to Christ.  Instead, it only seems to get harder, and to think of all I gave up for Jesus. . . 

There is a high cost to following Jesus and I should come into the relationship with my eyes wide open, otherwise I will run out of resolve and won't be able to stand firm until the end when I'll receive my reward (1 Corinthians 15:58, Philippians 3:14).

Perhaps one of the main problems in this country lies not in the ungodly leadership decisions but within the hearts of God's people.  As one who professes Christ as Lord and Savior, it is mandatory that I be willing to surrender my will and repent of my sins, to devote myself to Jesus so I'll want to do as He says, and to accept the high cost that comes from living in Him.  The choice is mine; either I'm for Him or against Him.  A life lived in Him, however, is never a life wasted. . . and the benefits are out of this world!

As I begin this day it is my desire that I can fully commit myself to Christ, letting go of every desire that hampers my journey.

When do I want it all; salvation and to live my way?

How am I offending God with my stubbornness?         

  

All His

"O Our God,

we thank you and praise your glorious name!

But who am I,

and who are my people,

that we could give anything to you?

Everything we have has come from you,

and we give you only what you first gave us!"

1 Chronicles 29:14 NLT

Seriously?  I thought as I stood in the hot sun waiting for the tow truck.  First Donald's truck and now mine?  All at the same time?  When we don't have any money to spare?  I couldn't help but be a little ticked off at God, wondering how this fit into the good plan He has for my life (Jeremiah 29:11).  Lately, it just seems we've had one setback after another, almost like we can't catch a break.

It's funny how life can hum along with nary a hick-up for weeks at a time, and I rarely thank God for it.  As soon as things start going wrong, though, I'm quick to cast blame on Him.  Similarly, it's easy to start thinking my life is a result of my hard work, my effort, my smarts.  In reality, everything is His.  He created all things and made all people in His image, able to create, reason, repair, nurture; all traits that transfer well to the marketplace.  He even entrusted all of His masterpiece we call the world into the hands of man, giving us the job of stewardship.

Still, I often take ownership as if it's all mine, or thinking I'm responsible for it coming to be in my possession, or expecting clear sailing all the time.  In truth, without God's unmerited favor, I would have nothing and tribulation would be the rule not the exception.

People.  She's my daughter so I must make sure she makes the right decisions.  

I can't just stand by and let my friend marry the wrong man.

How dare she treat me in such a way!  And she calls herself a Christian?

It's easy to take ownership of the people God has placed in my life, thinking I must control, protect, and judge.  If God is their God just as He is mine, what makes me think I am responsible for ordering their footsteps, or sheltering their lives, or deciding what's right and what's wrong?

God in His sovereignty places me in the family He created for me, includes me in a certain circle of friends, and positions me where I will come into contact with those He desires me to know.  As a result, I can let go of my desire to control, protect or judge.  Those are all God's areas of responsibility, and He does a much better job than I could ever do.

All the people in my life are God's, giving me the freedom to let Him have dominion over their lives.

Possessions.  My house.  My car.  My clothes.  My phone.  My toys.  When it comes right down to it, I'm pretty possessive.  It's easy for me to think everything in my custody actually belongs to me.  After all, it has my name on it, right?  I bought it with my own money so that makes it mine!  Or so goes my line of reasoning.

In reality, the Lord gives me the wherewithal and the resources to be able to acquire the stuff I own.  Without His favor, the work of my hand would bear no fruit and I would not prosper.  I must realize, then, that if He can give me lots of things, He can also take those things away in a heartbeat, a lesson many people learned back at the beginning of this generation's Great Recession in December of 2007.  I know many who lost thousands of dollars of their retirement, suddenly found themselves jobless or were close to losing their homes during that difficult period.  Like Job proclaimed at the lowest point of his life, I must come to the conclusion that, "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."  Job 1:21

Therefore, I would be wise to hold with an open hand the possessions with which I've been entrusted.  Instead of calling myself blessed because God has given me a lot of stuff, I can realize the blessing does not come through material possessions but in spiritual ones.  The physical stuff is mostly just a distraction from what is truly valuable.

So, if someone has a need that I can fill, my hand will freely let go of what is needed since it belongs to God anyway.  He is simply using me to help someone else.  Or if something breaks down, I can easily accept it's absence, realizing it was never meant to be my source of joy or fulfillment.  Or if catastrophe passes through, taking with it all I belong, I can praise God for His goodness in the midst of it.

All the stuff in my life belongs to God, giving me the ability to hold it with an open hand.

Aptitudes.  I've been groomed to sell myself, telling of my talents, skills and experience in a way that paints my image in the best light, giving prospective employers a a desire to hire me.  Consequently, I often become prideful of my accomplishments, thinking it was my abilities that got me where I am, or my hard work that gave me the opportunities I now enjoy, or my years of education that gave me the edge.  

In reality, I was purposefully made in a unique way in order to meet God's specifications (Psalm 139:13-16).  If I have an unusually high I.Q., I cannot take credit for God's handiwork.  If I'm gifted athletically, musically, or artistically, it is my Creator who gave me such talents.  If people tend to flock to me, attracted to my magnetic personality, it is the Lord who put such charisma in my chemical makeup.

As a follower of Christ who is meant to glorify God with my life, I would be wise to honor Him in all my ways (Romans 12:1, Proverbs 3:5-6).  Thus my life will point others to Him. 

All my gifts and talents come from God, giving me the opportunity to honor Him with my life.

It's easy for me to view the people, possessions, and aptitudes with which God has graciously gifted me and assume they belong to me.  When I accept the fact that everything good comes from the Lord (James 1:17), it will follow that I will develop a more grateful attitude, learning to place the people in my life under His dominion, hold the possessions He gives me with an open hand until it's time to let them go, and honor Him with the way He has made me.  In these ways I will be showing that I believe it's all His in the first place!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can see all the good God has given to me.

When do I only focus on what is wrong instead of thanking Him for all the good?

How do I hold onto my stuff with an iron grip, not wanting to let go for any reason?